AuthorTopic: The Present (Read 16543 times)

JT, I read parts of your piece. I found it reminiscent of Krishnamurti (which is a compliment). My only is advice is that you consider having it edited and proofread. I think it's of particular importance that you lived through the Beatles' "first wave." I was born too late for that; but it's great to read something by someone who "grew up" with them.

I agree with Jane, anything can be interpreted any way--particularly in regard to spirit, that subtile essence, since (for me at least) all is ultimately spirit. I would prefer the word "Presence" to "Present," but that's my bias or viewpoint or whatever.

I think that most of us come to these boards to seek meaning in one way or another (from arcane info about the Beatles to friendship).

I'll close with the oft-quote lines from Blake:

"To see the world in a grain of sand,and to see heaven in a wild flower,hold infinity in the palm of your hands,and eternity in an hour"

Sometimes the grain of sand can be the lines from "I'll Get You," sometimes it can be the guitar Paul used on "Taxman." Just depends how far you look.

(afraid4)(afraid4)(god)(god)

Wow, what a response, thank you for allowing me to read it. I nominate this for response of the year (anyone keeping a list?).

It might even inspire me to read poetry (if the poems are not too long, or abstruse).

JT, I read parts of your piece. I found it reminiscent of Krishnamurti (which is a compliment). My only is advice is that you consider having it edited and proofread. I think it's of particular importance that you lived through the Beatles' "first wave." I was born too late for that; but it's great to read something by someone who "grew up" with them.

To be honest, I did not write this book, nor did I live through the Beatles' "first wave" (in my current life, at least). I just really enjoyed this book, as I really enjoy The Beatles. You are right; "The Present" needs serious grammatical revision. However, I feel the content of the book is more important than the grammar.

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I agree with Jane, anything can be interpreted any way--particularly in regard to spirit, that subtile essence, since (for me at least) all is ultimately spirit. I would prefer the word "Presence" to "Present," but that's my bias or viewpoint or whatever.

Yes, our minds interpret anything and everything in countless ways. However, we are all interpreting the same thing. That which is, the now, or the present moment. Spirit is a good way to describe things when you feel that 'all is ultimately spirit.'

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I'll close with the oft-quote lines from Blake:

"To see the world in a grain of sand,and to see heaven in a wild flower,hold infinity in the palm of your hands,and eternity in an hour"

Sometimes the grain of sand can be the lines from "I'll Get You," sometimes it can be the guitar Paul used on "Taxman." Just depends how far you look.

Beautiful quotes, and a nice last line. It does depend how far you look, or hear, or sense in any way.

Quote

You can celebrate anything you want..You can penetrate any place you go..You can radiate everything you are..You can imitate everyone you know..You can indicate anything you see..You can syndicate any boat you row..Everything has got to be just like you want it toBecause--

BlueMeanie

You can celebrate anything you want..You can penetrate any place you go..You can radiate everything you are..You can imitate everyone you know..You can indicate anything you see..You can syndicate any boat you row..Everything has got to be just like you want it toBecause--

You haven't considered that he just might have been using wordplay here?

Adamzero, thank you for your post! I also enjoyed it very much! Great ideas. Was it William Blake you were quoting? Or whom?

BTW, I thought The Present meant "present that is given to somebody, for example, on one`s birthday". Not "present as compared to the past". I think I am right here, aren`t I??? The present the Beatles gave to us, or in line with the theory, to humanity. What do you think. Maybe JT will answer this question? I think he(?) is confused himself.

JT wrote "Because..." We have divine spirit in us? Yes, but it doesn`t mean that the Beatles sang about the love for God. They sang about the love of a man for a woman and of a woman for a man, they sang about the love for the nearest and dearest, they sang about the love for humanity, for all. That is their present to the world: Love will save the world, Love makes the world go round, All you need is love. For me the Beatles is LOVE (mostly of a man to a woman, of course, they were so handsome), the Beatles is human relations and feelings, pain and joy...They sang about the love for a human...please, stop here...and think about people, about us, about you and me...

Your telling me that songs like "Within You Without You" are 'pop songs written by a couple of scouse gits for teenage girls?"I agree that when they first started as young chaps, they may have been writing some of their early songs for teenage girls. However, I do think that they were presenting a much bigger message..... I think there was something far more special to the Beatles' music besides 'pop music.'

C'mon, by mid sixties every band and their dog were trying to wrap their wares in a veneer of mysticism or serious messaging - there's nothing special about The Beatles in that regard, other than they did it especially better than most. It was the trend of the day. Crikey- even Elvis felt compelled to jump in with some social commentary on "In the Ghetto." You can listen to Donovan if you need your life to be enhanced by sixties hippy pyscho-babble. Is he a prophet?Bored rock stars with too much time, money and drugs a messiah do not make.

I would go with "presence" rather than "present" because I think the latter is more materialistic. Our minds create the "present"--it has no objective existence. Our minds are connected to something spiritual I'd call the Presence that allows us to live in the present.

fair enough alexis. you understand i prefer my own flavor if you catch my drift. lol

Voice of (god) : Choose wisely, oh, swine! (devil5)(fire2)

( )

Speaking of "drifts", it has been written that hell is not actually (fire2) , but rather eternal damnation in an immense snowdrift, doomed to hear repeated throughout eternity "Don't worry Kyoko, Mommy's only looking for a hand in the snow". (dead1)

I would go with "presence" rather than "present" because I think the latter is more materialistic. Our minds create the "present"--it has no objective existence. Our minds are connected to something spiritual I'd call the Presence that allows us to live in the present.

Jai guru deva om.

Maybe it is both Present and Presence? There`s a lot of truth in Our minds create the present. From that follows - That`s why we all see it differently, that`s why it depends on us and to change it (if something is wrong) we just have to take a different look at it. But is it so? Another conclusion also is - that reality doesn`t exist. There`s no objective reality, only subjective. Can it be so?

I suspected that you meant something negative as usual, cause I know only positive meanings of this word. So I decided to check it. No specific choices, just because of your using this word. If it had been someone else, no problem.

I suspected that you meant something negative as usual, cause I know only positive meanings of this word. So I decided to check it. No specific choices, just because of your using this word. If it had been someone else, no problem.

Well it seems I've missed quite a bit of dialog, so I will attempt to respond to each person who directed something toward me.

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You haven't considered that he just might have been using wordplay here?

Ridiculous.

I have considered this, before I started to listen to The Beatles music in a different way. I listen to their tunes as if they are brand new every time, and as if they are talking directly to me when they say "you." I listen as if they are speaking and playing to me, their spirit to my spirit, in the present moment. (Of course, the mind is needed to interpret lyrics).

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BTW, I thought The Present meant "present that is given to somebody, for example, on one`s birthday". Not "present as compared to the past". I think I am right here, aren`t I??? The present the Beatles gave to us, or in line with the theory, to humanity. What do you think. Maybe JT will answer this question? I think he(?) is confused himself.

The present, or as I like to call it, the now, is the ultimate gift. It is the gift of life, given to you every second of your conscious existence. The now is the only moment you can experience, and the only moment where you can create reality in your mind. I guess you could look at listening to The Beatles in the now as them giving you a present; they spread their love unconditionally through spirit (because they are no longer physically with us).

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They sang about the love of a man for a woman and of a woman for a man, they sang about the love for the nearest and dearest, they sang about the love for humanity, for all. That is their present to the world: Love will save the world, Love makes the world go round, All you need is love.

I agree that they did sing about love for all. Some of their songs may have been about the love between a man and a women, but I certainly disagree that carnal love was their message. You forgot some important lines sung by The Beatles, such as "love never dies," "love is old, love is new," and "all these memories lose their meanings, when I think of love as something new." Love between a man and a woman dies, either with a break up, or physical death. I feel that they were singing about divine love, or spiritual love. Love that is always in the present moment for everyone to share. Love that is boundless and endless, and can save the world. "With our love, with our love, we can save the world...if they only knew." Do you think they were trying to sing about the love between a man and a woman there? Can carnal love that eventually dies between a man and a woman save the world?

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C'mon, by mid sixties every band and their dog were trying to wrap their wares in a veneer of mysticism or serious messaging - there's nothing special about The Beatles in that regard, other than they did it especially better than most.

other than they did it especially better than most. I'd say that is pretty special. The Beatles changed the world, and they will change the world again when people start listening to them for what they were, prophets. They will always be true, sending all their loving to you. Now Kevin, I have no problem if you want to be closed-minded toward my interpretation and other interpretations, but just remember what you just said - "they did it especially better than most." They are talking directly to you when you listen.

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I would go with "presence" rather than "present" because I think the latter is more materialistic. Our minds create the "present"--it has no objective existence. Our minds are connected to something spiritual I'd call the Presence that allows us to live in the present.

Agreeable. Our minds create reality in the present, and the concept of past/present/future, but you cannot deny that the only moment we can experience is the now. I also agree that we are all connected by an unseen "force." Presence is an interesting one that I have never heard, I usually use collective unconscious mind/universal mind/Holy Spirit.

Jai guru deva om to you too my friend.

Like I said, I listen to The Beatles as if they are speaking directly to me, to my spirit. Most of you think it's just some cute guys singing love songs to a girl, which is understandable, because girls would wet their pants listening to them in the audience. This may have been their intention at the time, or just a cover story, but regardless, you agree that they were singing to women. Think of it like this. Man gives, woman receives. When you are listening, regardless of your sex, you are the receiver. They are feeding your spirit, giving their love to you. They are not giving you carnal, man/woman love, they are giving you spiritual love that never dies. The next time you listen to a song, listen as if they were singing it for the first time directly to you. Regardless of your sex, you are the receiver, you are the "woman" that they are singing to. "The Present" explains this in far more detail than I do, so I recommend reading The Beatles section if you are interested. Give it a shot, you might find something that really makes sense to you.

Thanks for your thoughts friends, they are very interesting. Keep them coming!